Hunters caught drunk and on drugs in NSW forests

Documents obtained by the New South Wales Greens reveal that nearly a dozen licensed hunters have been caught hunting on public land while either drunk, or in possession of drugs or illegal weapons.

The minutes of the Game Council meetings detail cases of hunters breaking the law or the terms of their licenses in state forests last year.

In one case, a licensed hunter was charged by police for drink-driving through a state forest while his passenger used a semi-automatic weapon illegally fitted with a silencer to shoot out of the vehicle.

Greens MP David Shoebridge says it is further proof the Game Council is not fit to oversee hunting on public land, especially in National Parks.

"They are hunting all day with firearms," he said.

"It's a reckless hunting sub-culture that is a direct danger to the community."

Mr Shoebridge believes the revelations are the tip of the iceberg.

"Once this has been brought to the attention of the Game Council, they've suspended some licenses, but this is only a tiny fraction of what we can imagine out there," he said.

"We know that of these case studies, only one has been found by Game Council officers themselves.

"The rest of these reports have come through from rangers, national parks and wildlife services or the general public."

The Game Council says licensed hunters are some of the most regulated and responsible people in the state and the enforcement measures in place for hunting today are unprecedented.

A spokeswoman says the vast majority of hunters abide by the law and there is no good reason that should not continue.

The plan to allow hunting in NSW national parks has been pushed back by the NSW Government while there is a review into the governance of the Game Council.